MEDIA RELEASE October 1, 2016

Unveiling of the official ice pad names at Acton Arena and Community Centre HALTON HILLS, ON – Ron McKnight and Harold Townsley, two long-time local sports volunteers were celebrated on Saturday by having ice pads in Acton officially named in their honour. The official ice pad name unveiling took place on October 1, 2016 at the Acton Arena and Community Centre. The McKnight Ice Pad and Townsley Ice Pad name unveiling was celebrated by Mayor Rick Bonnette, Members of Council, and McKnight and Townsley family members. Attendees enjoyed refreshments and festivities as they celebrated the legacies of these two local sporting champions. “Harold and Ron are very deserving of this recognition,” said Mayor Rick Bonnette. “They represent everything that is great about our community. They gave freely and often of their time, energy and talents. Their contributions have enriched our Town and they have left a wonderful legacy.” The McKnight Pad will be the new name for Pad B and the Townsley Pad is the new name for what was Pad A. Harold Townsley was a hard worker and leader in sports in Acton since he was old enough to hold a hockey stick or baseball glove. He had a long history in minor and later, semi-pro hockey. He spent several years as a volunteer with the Town’s Recreation and Parks Department before becoming the Acton Arena manager in 1967 where he remained until 1988. He spent 30 years as a volunteer with the Acton Fire Department. Originally from Newmarket, he was a resident of Acton for 70 years. He was a referee with Acton’s Hockey League for many years and also coached the Acton Bantams for approximately 17 years. He was involved with the Acton Jr. B Sabres for eight years and the Jr. C Sabers. He served as assistant general manager for the Jr. C team in Erin for 15 yrs. He was a life member of the Acton Fire Department, the Acton Minor Hockey Association, OMHA, and the Acton Figure Skating Club. Harold cofounded the Acton Hockey and Skating school in the 1960’s and it still exists today. He was Acton’s citizen of the Year in 2000 and was inducted into the Halton Hills Sports Museum Sports Hall of Fame for his contributions as a builder for hockey and baseball. Ron McKnight was a man to be admired. He looked beyond his physical limitations and gave his all to his community for many years. Although Ron could not be involved in sports actively as a player he gave his time from the sidelines both in Acton and in

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Georgetown, whether it was hockey, lacrosse, figure skating or baseball. Ron was known as the "Voice of Acton" as he spent many years driving around advertising events or working in the arenas as the announcer. In 1969, at the young age of 20, he became the youngest president of the Acton Minor Hockey League in the history of the club. He was the President of the Georgetown Referee Association, Secretary of the Tri County Hockey Minor Hockey Association and in 1989 was awarded a life membership. Ron was heavily involved in his hometown community. He would be seen every year at Tim Horton’s promoting their Camp Day, helping raising funds for the Three Musketears Skateboard Park, helping at the Terry Fox Run and the Paul Murr Memorial Golf Tournament raising funds for cancer. He worked on the Accessibility Committee for the Town of Halton Hills, the executive of the Royal Canadian Legion and was past president of the Rotary Club in Acton. He also worked on the Mayor’s Heritage Golf Tournament. Ron was named Acton Citizen of the Year in 1980, the 1984 OMHA Honour Award, and the 1988 Hockey Heritage Award. He was inducted in the Halton Hills Sports Museum in 2009. The naming contest for Acton Arena and Community Centre ice pads was launched in January 2016 and was well received by the community, with 349 entries received. The winning entries from Kendra Kellas and Wayne DeForest of Acton were selected randomly from the eligible entries chosen by a steering committee made up of local residents. The winners were given an iPad mini courtesy of Dufferin Aggregates, a division of CRH Canada who sponsored the naming contest. About the Town of Halton Hills The Town of Halton Hills, with a population of approximately 60,000, consists of two urban centres, Georgetown and Acton, the Halton Hills Premier Gateway employment area, three hamlets – Glen Williams, Stewarttown and Norval – and several smaller settlements. Halton Hills has long been recognized for its natural beauty, active agricultural community, high quality of life and proximity to major centres, including Brampton, Mississauga and Toronto. The Town is ranked as one of the top small communities in Canada by a national magazine.

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For further information contact: Heather McLean Recreation Supervisor – Community Development Recreation and Parks Department 905-873-2601, ext. 2262 [email protected]